Rachel Was There
by PriestessAmy
Summary: An alternate take on the story from Before the Storm. Way less dark, way more fluff. Rachel is really into Chloe and it's obvious to pretty much everyone but her. Go figure the girl with two moms would be so helplessly gay. This is the seed story that feeds into several of my other works that will all be collected under the series Rachel is Here.
1. Rock and Roll Girlfriend

It all started with Firewalk. Not the concert, that came a little later.

Rachel had been outside Blackwell watching the skaters do their thing when suddenly Chloe, a girl she had only ever seen in a state one might call 'sullen', came running up. She held a busted up iPod and a portable speaker. "Holy shit holy shit holy shit!"

Justin laughed, his amusement bolstered by the usual dosage of pot. "Woah, down girl, what are you all hyped about?"

"Firewalk's new album, dude! It's so good. I had to come over and blast this like... immediately." As promised, she plugged in the speaker and began to pump out the music as loud as the sad little speaker could manage. "Augh, do you hear that shit? It's so fucking rad!" Chloe began excitedly air drumming, and Trevor performed a delightful air guitar solo while skating by on his board.

Rachel sat nearby watching all of this unfold while enjoying the music as well. She covered her mouth to hide her giggling at the antics of everyone around her. Sure, she had seen Chloe around before. But it was almost exclusively sulking, moping, or otherwise being quiet and miserable. She had never seen her so animated before. And to think it was for a band that Rachel herself was pretty fond of too. She wanted to say something, of course – to say anything at all really. But to engage with this would be to lose some of that cool exterior she'd been developing lately. So she just sat and watched instead.

* * *

Rachel had been pushing her brain into overtime trying to come up with a way to get Chloe's attention when a series of amazing, perfect miracles happened in succession. The first was fairly innocuous. Her blog had been getting some traction locally after people around Blackwell started sharing it. Apparently she actually did have a bit of a knack for advice and information. She didn't think too much of this at first, but there was that tiny voice in the back of her mind that just maybe someone like Chloe might possibly see it.

After a rather intensive discussion about hair-dying, she'd noticed a few comments from a user called PriceIsRight. She didn't think too much about it until she noticed them saying something about getting bangs 'like Pris' just to piss off her mom's boyfriend. That set off a few different flares in her mind and she went digging. It didn't exactly take a ton of work to figure out that it was Chloe's account. She felt almost wrong, having discovered this, when Miss Arcadia was essentially a stealth operation personally. Granted it wasn't the most clever cover in the world, but few people bothered to ask more than once or twice who she really was.

The key thing finally slid across her blog's dashboard soon after – a heads-up that Firewalk was going to be doing a show out in the boonies. Her heart was pounding as she hammered the keys of her laptop, putting out a post for everyone who followed her. She didn't care about all the numerous 'first's or even the people talking about how hype it was going to be. She only wanted to see one name, and she was soon refreshing the page every thirty seconds. Finally, there it was.

 _I am prepared to abandon literally all of my hope to enter ye this show! [-] PriceIsRight_

She was going to be there. And so would Rachel.

* * *

Chloe had that whole punk rebel thing going on, though she played it subtle. And Rachel was certain that her attempt at the style was a tad overboard. But she just looked so damn good that she couldn't even complain. The pompadour thing, the jacket, the gloves. It was A Look, and she didn't care if appeared desperate.

Of course, the mill had a gigantic dude with tattoos and a bike to guard the door. So she had to play it super casual, using the fake ID she'd gotten from that sketchy guy at school. Still, it was worth the asking price because he didn't even give her a second look before motioning for her to head inside. _Easy, Rachel, you've done this a hundred times. The only difference is that tonight you might get a chance to talk to a cute girl. No big deal._

The change was immediate as the thumping music slammed into her squarely in the chest, powerful even from the adjoining space. As much as she wanted to go in and just enjoy the show, she didn't want to try and have her first proper meeting with Chloe when they couldn't even be heard over the wall of sound.

That plan didn't quite work out the way she wanted, because Rachel turned out to be kind of a chickenshit when it came to chatting up a pretty girl. So she stuck to the shadows and watched with a growing sense of amusement as Chloe had to badger her way inside past Thunder, actually stole a shirt from the vendor (She would have bought her one, jeez), attempted to buy pot from that gross drug dealer guy, before finally finding the crowd to be too much when she nearly got into a fight with some asshole for bumping into him.

Rachel followed her up the stairs that would almost definitely give way any second, and watched her curiously with a blooming smile. If she could have seen herself, she would have been amazed at this strange and goofy version of Rachel. Chloe was just so... alive, all because of the music. She looked like she was on top of the world. And she wanted to be a part of that, it was all so close. But once again, something got in the way. Or more precisely, _someone_ got in the way. The asshole from before seemed to think he was owed for the spilled beer, and he appeared interested in taking something very bad from Chloe.

This was it, her chance to step up and be a damn hero. At least, that was the plan. She got about as far as yelling "Hey, dickhead!" It wasn't a spectacular show of force by any means, but it at least gave Chloe enough time to show the guy what a bottle looked like up close before running over to her. Like a particularly grumpy damsel in distress.

"Rachel?"

There was really not enough time to explain, so she panicked. She took Chloe's hand and rushed her down from that rickety loft to where they might be able to get lost in the crowd. Trouble wasn't too far behind, but shockingly, Chloe's dealer friend actually got in the way of them. Unable to help herself, Rachel blew a playful kiss to the two assholes before tugging Chloe into the main area to hide and actually enjoy the show for more than two minutes.

* * *

And it was good. It was so damn good. They danced, occasionally quite close, the heavy bass acting as a kind of aphrodisiac that was impossible to ignore. And when the show was over and the exhaustion finally took its toll, the two of them made their way back out into the moonlight.

Chloe rubbed at her eyes and gave an incredibly impressive yawn. "Mmm, and now to begin my hike back to town."

"Hah, I hope you don't mean that literally..." She watched as Chloe scuffed the dirt with her ratty shoe and realized that she still had a lot to learn about this girl. And she wanted to know her that much more. "I-I can give you a ride! My car's just over in the dirt square they call a parking lot." God, she couldn't have sounded more desperate if she tried.

Chloe chuckled softly, in this kinda low casual way that sounded so nice to her ears. "C'mon, you've already done the knight in shining armor thing once. Honestly, you don't have to give me a lift on your steed while you're at it."

"Nonsense. My moms always say 'a job half-done is effort wasted'. Granted they're usually talking about cleaning, but I think it applies here too. If I don't make sure you get home safely, then I'm gonna be worrying about you wandering around the forest all night or whatever." Oh shit, Rachel realized too late that this might have been laying it on just a little thick.

The incredulous look on Chloe's face wasn't helping, though it soon morphed into a gentle smile. She gave a small shrug of the shoulders, then another for good measure. "Ugh, fine, help me if it means so much to you."

It did of course, but she wasn't about to admit it out loud. "I'm afraid I must insist." She smirked and led the way over to her car. It was... well, it wasn't an awful little vehicle. Her dad had been some kinda hotshot DA, and when he died, he left one hell of a life insurance policy. Enough to make sure Rachel would at least be relatively comfortable in his absence. Rachel unlocked it and climbed in behind the wheel, and Chloe practically flopped onto the passenger seat.

For a while, Rachel just drove in a peaceful quiet as they headed away from the mill and back toward Arcadia Bay proper. She couldn't think of what to say, but luckily, Chloe was able to provide a topic. "So... you said you have 'moms'? Like plural?"

Rachel clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "Uh, yeah, it's... complicated."

She should have seen it coming, but it still surprised her a little when Chloe just smiled a little brighter. "Come on, tell meeeee~"

"Um, well so..." She nibbled at her lip and turned from the backroad onto a slightly less creepy side road headed for the center of town. "My dad and my birth mom, Sera, met in high school, very fairytale. Only after having me, she kinda went on a major downward spiral. She says it was probably postpartum, but that led into drug use. It didn't end well. After the divorce and fallout, he married my step-mom, Rose." She sighed and messed with her hair while guiding the car with her free hand. "Dad sent some pretty nasty people to prison, and one of them had a friend on the outside... they uh..."

There was suddenly a hand on Rachel's shoulder, and she glanced over to see Chloe giving her the most earnest smile she had seen in a long time. Even such a short look was enough to send a wave of comfort washing over her. "It's okay. You don't have to say it out loud. I um... I know a thing or two about losing a father."

Oh god, of course. Rachel suddenly felt like a major idiot for not putting it together sooner. She had spent way too much time getting a touch obsessed with this girl and had never thought about the fact that they had something so obvious in common. "...thanks. So. When Sera cleaned up and wanted back into my life, mom knew she needed the help and was willing to offer her the guest bedroom. And... what happened next was pretty easy to see coming. Two lonely women looking after a growing girl together. They got married a few years ago."

Chloe began to coo softly, obviously pleased to hear the story of Rachel's odd little family. "That's really cool. I'm kinda jealous. My mom just has an asshole veteran trying to get in her pants. Or, perish the thought, already has gotten in her pants..."

She began to laugh at that, initially feeling bad about it before noticing the rather wide grin on Chloe's face as well. Thank god, that was meant to be funny. "Well um..." _Oh fuck it, just go for it idiot._ "If you ever feel like hanging out and bitching about dadlessness or... or whatever. I mean I'd be up for that. You seem pretty chill."

"Hah, well, I do certainly try to aim for 'chill' so it's good to know I'm nailing it." Already they were on Chloe's street and the girl's house number was coming up quickly. It felt too say, way too soon, she wanted more time. But this was still going far better than she ever expected, and eventually she just had to admit that slow and steady was the way to do this. "You're doing me a huge secondary favor here, by the way. If I had to walk back home, mom would never let me hear the end of it. Coming in late, covered in dust, all that. I just might avoid a lecture tonight, thanks to you." The car slowed to a stop and Chloe started to climb out, then stopped and looked back at her. "Well, Rach', see ya tomorrow, I guess!"

She waited around to make sure that Chloe got into her house safely before pulling away and heading for her own home. She chuckled softly to herself and shook her head. "Rach'... I could get used to that..."


	2. Hold On

Rachel strolled happily into her home. While she remembered vague details about the house they used to live in, shortly after her father's death, Rose was forced to move into a home with a more reasonable mortgage. It may have been bias, but she definitely preferred the smaller, cozier home.

She was humming one of the songs from the concert to herself softly, dreamily sauntering into the living room where her mom and Rose were watching television and sipping tea. Both women looked up at her in surprise. Rachel realized too late she probably should have warned them about her wardrobe plans for the evening. "Hah, um, hey guys. I'm back."

Sera watched her curiously for a moment over the top of her mug with a knowing smirk. "I can't decide if I should ask about the get-up first, or why you're waltzing in here looking like the cat who got the cream..."

Rose glanced from her daughter to her wife and back again, a bit behind on the subject. "What do you mean? She just looks like she had a nice time at her concert."

She shook her head, that sly smile spreading a little wider. "Nooo, _that_ is the look of a teenager who _met_ somebody~"

Instantly, Rachel's face turned dark red and her entire posture shifted as she became suddenly aware of all the little signals she was putting out into the world. Sure, her mom was a pretty perceptive woman, but now she was self-conscious, certain that her thoughts were written plainly on her face. "Wh-! Mom!"

"Oh, you're familiar with that face? Quite the ladykiller in high school, hm?" Rose was normally the good cop in these situations, but for some reason she was joining in on this playful banter.

"I was an _everyone_ killer in high school, thank you very much. And our daughter very clearly fancies someone. Someone who was at this concert, unless I miss my mark. It would explain the rocker look. And in her defense, I'm guessing it worked."

Rachel moved over to a nearby chair, collapsing into it dramatically and burying her face in her hands. "Goddddd you two are so embarrassing..."

"Yeah, embarrassingly right," her birth mother quipped.

Rose gave her a gentle shove. "Okay, come on now, let's be nice to her. I'm sure there was no boy, she's just all excited from the loud music and the bright lights and everything."

Ugh, they really had perfected this to a fine art, hadn't they? Rose and Sera would just keep going in this strange combination of smug assurance and knowing innocence until poor Rachel broke. It never took all that long, even now. "Um, it was a girl from school actually..."

Both women gasped excitedly like teenagers, sharing a look of delight. Sera was even bouncing a bit where she sat. "Is she one of your drama friends? Didn't you tell me that cute stage manager was gay?"

"Ooh, no no, that Victoria girl. Always following after you like a lost puppy."

"I remember getting a vibe off that Dana girl during last semester's production."

"I-It's not anyone you know!" Rachel realized too late that she had kind of blown up in an effort to interrupt the two of them. "It's... this girl Chloe. She's super cool and casual about everything and she has this amazing smile and... gah! I have no idea what I'm doing. I gave her a ride home and tried to bond over the fact that both our dads are dead, which is probably... I'm gonna go ahead and say the classiest move ever."

Rose smiled warmly at her, doing her best to remain kind and understanding, as was often her job. "Hm, you could always ask her if she wants to help out with the show. You were just saying the other night that you lost one of your stage hands."

Something about the recommendation was just a bit too... mom-ish. But then again, Rachel had to admit that her brain was too fried by stupid feelings to think of something better. "I mean... she's not really a joiner. What if she says no?"

Rose just shrugged, still giving her that calm smile. "Then you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and try something else. But I have a feeling if she likes you, even just as a friend, she'll suddenly turn into a joiner for a chance to see you more."

* * *

"I still cannot believe you glassed that guy," Rachel said with a bright laugh before tearing off another bite of her sandwich.

Chloe joined her in laughter as they looked out across the main yard of the school. "I mean... I only felt like I could get away with it because I had this tough-looking rocker chick to provide back-up if things went sideways. Still, it did feel pretty good."

"And therein lies the power of a good actress. I have never been in a fight once in my life. But I guess if it came down to it, I could try and throw a punch. With any luck, it might actually hurt." She drank her soda thoughtfully, just trying to force herself to summon up some goddamn courage. "So uh... I was wondering if maybe you'd be willing to help out with the play this weekend? It's just that Marcus got hit by some nasty bug and he's not gonna be there."

She rolled her eyes, and Rachel was momentarily worried that Chloe would not only turn her down but offer some snarky commentary. "Ohhh, I see now. Become my friend so you can recruit me into your Dionysian cult. I follow your game, little lady." She gave a dramatic sigh, but it appeared to be one of defeat. "Fine, but I want zero credit for this. I will not have my lackadaisical rep tarnished when everyone finds out I actually participated in a school function."

Rachel smiled brightly at her and crumpled up her empty lunch bag. "I cannot tell you how many people are gonna breathe a little easier tonight knowing we're not gonna be short one person."

"Yeah, well, just remember that you owe me one now." For a moment, she felt a serious tightness in her chest. Rachel's brain instantly began conjuring up all manner of ridiculous things that Chloe could demand of her as payment, things that would obviously never happen in reality. And yet she couldn't stop herself, couldn't stop the slight blush that lit up her cheeks. Perhaps, sensing this, Chloe gave a slight barking laugh and hopped to her feet, grabbing the balled up lunch bag from her hands. "I'm just fucking with you. Friends aren't supposed to like... keep track of shit, right?"

While she wandered over to a nearby trash can to deposit their stuff, Rachel sat there on the ground, bewildered. Friends. She had just called them friends.

* * *

"No no, this completely tracks. I literally asked you the same thing this morning, after so kindly inviting you to join me and Mikey for the end of the campaign and you were all 'no no I'm not really a _do stuff_ kinda person'. But when Rachel Amber asks, you have no problem saying yes." Steph was admittedly laying it on kind of thick, but Rachel wasn't an idiot. She knew that her popularity had a way of earning her as much ire as it did acclaim. But she also knew that this was just Stephanie's way. No point in taking it too personally. Besides, there was a certain amount of pride in the fact that Chloe changed her answer based on who was asking. Again, her brain was tempted to read too much into it, and it took some work to keep from getting overly excited about that. "Regardless, that makes you my lackey now, and that means I get some retribution for you viciously slaying Duurgaron. C'mon, minion, there is much for you to learn while the actors strut and fret their hour upon the stage."

Chloe gave a helpless shrug and tagged along after Steph to start learning the job while Rachel went to get changed into her costume before the dress rehearsal got underway. She hadn't really considered that Rose's idea about inviting Chloe along to help out would involve as much time apart as it did time together. But still, the sense of victory was too great to ignore. She felt good.

There was one moment of peace where the both of them had a second to chat, when Chloe had no gopher work to do and Rachel didn't need to be on stage. They were hanging out in the tent that was serving as a kind of green room, sitting on some incredibly uncomfortable folding chairs.

"By the way, I wanted to tell you, your costume is fucking sick Rach'. The hood and horned mask thing is fantastic."

Laughing bashfully, Rachel stood and gave a little spin. Some small spark of bravery struck her and she winked at Chloe as she did so. And she could have sworn she saw Chloe start to blush, just a little, just this once. Before the moment could continue any longer, Stephanie popped in and motioned for Chloe to follow her for yet another job.

Dana and Victoria who had also been in the green room with them shared a brief glance before Dana looked at her with a cocked eyebrow and an obnoxious smirk. "Gotta be honest, didn't really think she was your type." Victoria looked less amused and more shocked. It could have been for any number of reasons.

"That's-! We're not-! We just bumped into each other the other night at a concert and hit it off. Seriously, that's all."

"Hit it off. Okay. I mean, I saw the picture you posted. You two made a cute pair."

Rachel started for the tent entrance in a huff. "I need to be on stage soon." This was the part she hated. She hated being so obvious. She hated everyone being able to see through her. Because if her own moms and her friends could see what she was up to, how long before Chloe worked it out? And then what? Surely she would reject her for being all pathetic and desperate.

* * *

Rachel's car slowed down to a stop outside Chloe's house. The girl hesitated, not getting out right away. Instead she ran her fingers through her messy hair and sighed heavily. "Hey, is everything cool? You just seem really... I dunno, grumpy, I guess. I didn't do anything wrong, did I?"

Her grip on the wheel tightened slightly as her terrifying anxiety struck again, assuring her that Chloe was definitely onto her. "I-It's not that. I think I might just be exhausted or something. I promise, it's nothing that you did wrong."

Chloe nodded her head slowly before sighing again. "Sorry. I just... I think I've developed a complex. I had this best friend, Max. And... I mean we were thick as thieves. Literally, we liked to run around pretending we were pirates and shit. A little while after... after dad died, she and her family had to move to Seattle. And I thought, y'know, long-distance friendships can work. Except she's totally ghosted me, never texts, nothing. And I... Ugh, I know we only just met, but the truth is that I'm... pretty terrified of getting ditched again... Hah, no pressure."

Instantly, Rachel's heart broke just a little for Chloe. She wanted to wrap her up in her arms and hold her tight and promise to never leave her. But she also had a point that they barely knew each other and it was a bit too soon to do something that intimate. Still... she wanted to do something to drive home the idea that she didn't have any plans to disappear. "Well, I know we just became friends, but I can tell you I'm not going anywhere until I graduate. Even then, my moms have basically made me swear I get a college degree before I can go off and try to become a famous actress. Sorry to break this to you, but you're kinda stuck with me."

"You sure it's not the other way around? Let's be real, between the princess of Blackwell and the human trashfire, which one of us is really suffering a fool gladly?" Chloe chuckled, hopefully given some peace to hear that Rachel wasn't going anywhere. "Hmm, guess time will tell. I should get inside and let mom know why I was late before she sics her boyfriend on me. I'll come bother you tomorrow."

"Not if I bother you first," Rachel responded playfully. Once again, she watched Chloe until she was inside her house before pulling away, laughing softly to herself. Maybe someday she could actually get herself under control long enough to form a halfway decent relationship with another human being. Not one of her normal friendships, carefully veiled and cautious, but something more wild and free. It was an encouraging idea.


	3. Scattered

"Dana..." Rachel braced herself as she approached her friend and co-star. She was really not looking forward to doing this, but at the same time, she kind of had to. She had to talk to someone that wasn't her mothers.

Thankfully, Dana turned to look at her with a small smile, seemingly unperturbed by what happened yesterday. "Rachel. What's up?"

"I... I owe you a massive-ass apology. For yesterday. I freaked and acted like a passive-aggressive bitch." She shrugged her shoulders a few times, then glanced up and down the hallway. Blissfully, the school was emptying out after the last bell had rung so no one was really paying any attention to them.

"Girl don't even sweat it. I clearly touched a nerve, and that was more my fault than yours. Consider it forgotten."

Rachel cleared her throat, and gave the hall another glance, although it was exactly as empty as it had been two seconds ago. "Um. Actually, hold off on forgetting just yet. I was wondering if I could like... get your advice?"

Immediately Dana cocked an eyebrow and got a little bit of a playful smile. "C'mon." Closing her locker, she grabbed Rachel's elbow and dragged her down the hall a little way and into the drama room – empty now since everyone was outside getting ready for the upcoming show. "Tell me things. I love knowing things almost as much as Juliet does."

"O-Okay so... so Chloe and me, we're not dating or anything. We really did just meet up at the concert. But I am like... majorly into her. And... I know that it's obvious, and I hate how obvious it is. And maybe I'm kind of terrified about when she's going to figure it out and ditch my pathetic ass." It all came tumbling out rather quickly, and oh yeah hey speaking of pathetic, this was super fucking pathetic.

Rather than laugh at her like she was expecting, Dana just smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. Hey! Cool it, Amber. Look, there's a lot of terrible advice out there for situations like this about how you need to play it a certain way or hide certain parts of yourself or something. But... from what little I know of Chloe, your best bet is to stick with honesty. And don't be afraid to flirt with her, she is kinda dense sometimes. Even if she does realize what you're doing... so what? Own it. Be a little shameless about who you are and what you want."

You didn't always get stuff like that in magazines. The advice felt good, even if it was kind of a scary concept. It was easy for Dana to say that, looking in from the outside. Then again, that was the whole point of it, right? "That makes a lot of sense. Thanks girl. We should probably get to rehearsal before Keaton chews us out."

* * *

"Augh, this is perfect! I know I should be insulted that you would bring me to hang out in a junk yard, but honestly you nailed it. And look at this thing, clearly nobody's used it in ages. We could totally camp out in here. Steal some like... car seats and junk, hang up a few decorations. Our own little clubhouse away from the world. Too cool."

Rachel leaned against the cinder brick wall, admiring Chloe's sheer optimism. She had been kind of nervous about bringing her out here, but this really did turn out to be an awesome idea. The whole junkyard was an entire cluster of awesome suburban treasures, but it was this little shack that had sparked Rachel's brain. Chloe had a kind of antisocial bent to her, so she wanted to find some place they could run away if the world ever got to be too much. Clearly, this was the place. "I'm... glad. I thought it might be nice to have a secret headquarters."

Chloe finally came strolling back out of the little shack with a bit of a swagger in her step now. "Fucking nailed it, Rach'. I mean, I needed someplace away from home, especially whenever that douchebag is around. And I don't wanna impose on your place or whatever. This is good."

They began making their rounds, and Rachel couldn't shake off the thought that all she wanted to do was reach out and take Chloe's hand while they wandered. But while Dana did have some pretty useful advice for her, that might have been a bit much without warning. But she still wanted to try doing something. "Honestly, I'm really happy. It was worth it just to see how excited you got. You're pretty cute when you're hyped."

Chloe's eyes went insanely wide, and for a moment, Rachel was terrified that this was the moment the girl decided that maybe she'd made a mistake. Only she wasn't staring at her. Catching on far too late, she started to actually trace her line of sight. Sitting there amid all the other trash was a car, utterly decimated on the front driver's side.

"D-Dad...?"

Fuck. Rachel wasn't even able to come up with a proper response or excuse or anything before she felt Chloe latch onto her tightly, burying her face in her shoulder with a stifled sob. _It shouldn't be like this..._ she thought to herself as she wrapped her arms protectively around Chloe's shoulders, holding her gently. "We should get you out of here. Come on..." She carefully started leading the other girl away from the wreckage toward her own car, opening the passenger door and even helping her sit down and buckle up.

As soon as she sat behind the wheel and got the car started, she felt Chloe reach for her hand, holding it almost fiercely. Again, she really didn't want it to happen this way, but... here they were. "I-I cuh-can't go home, n-not right now. I just know that d-douchebag is going to be there and I can't d-deal with that."

She did her best to give a comforting smile as she pulled away from American Rust. "We'll go to my place. I'm sure my moms will love meeting you. Plus, it's taco night."

The girl next to her gave a little chuckle as she released her hold on Rachel's hand. "I do love tacos."

In a different situation, she would have used that as a set-up for some quality flirting. For now, she had to settle for saying "me too..." and leaving it at that.

* * *

Rachel looked from Chloe's red eyes across the living room to where her mothers were sitting, watching the two of them with obvious concern. "Are we allowed to ask what happened?" Admittedly she understood their hesitation. The two girls had basically just walked in and went straight to the couch, sitting there in silence as Chloe occasionally sniffled or wiped at her eyes.

She continued to rub her hand in circles against Chloe's back that she hoped was soothing. "Ummm... so you know that junk yard across town?"

"The one you like to hang out in that makes me incredibly nervous? Yes, go on." From someone else that might have sounded snarky, but Rose was clearly just succinctly summarizing her familiarity with American Rust. And it was part of the reason she was a little nervous to tell them about this.

"We were hanging out there after rehearsal and... and we came across the car that Chloe's dad was... um..."

The story was recent enough and tragic enough that she didn't really need to complete that sentence. Rose and Sera both nodded sadly. Her mother suddenly stood, extending a hand to Chloe and pulling her up from the couch. "C'mon, kiddo. I know a thing or two about crying. Let me help you fix your make-up, maybe I can teach you a few tricks."

Surprisingly, Chloe looked to Rachel first, almost hesitant to go with the woman without her friend's say-so. She nodded and offered a small smile, fully trusting Sera to treat her well. Chloe nodded in turn and took the woman's hand, following her upstairs. Once they were gone, Rachel cast a hangdog look at Rose and sighed. "Be real with me. Have I completely screwed everything up? Because it super feels that way."

Rose studied her for a moment or two before a small smile graced her lips. "I'm going to tell you something I'm not particularly proud of. When Sera and I first met, I... really didn't like her. Everything James told me about her, how perfect she used to be, then the drugs and... Augh... So when she showed up for the funeral, I was instantly on edge. And then she came to me asking to be with you again. I really wanted to send her away, but I had no confidence in my ability to take care of you on my own." She was wringing her hands and it was so obvious how much Rose hated saying all of this out loud. "She could be snarky and she often made jokes I didn't understand. She had... tattoos and every time she left the house I was terrified she was going out to get drugs even though she was several years sober by that point. But over time, I noticed other things too – how tender she could be with you, how dutiful she was with boring chores, how she found ways to make me laugh that might not have been as natural for her. I don't know if I would have fallen for her if it weren't for her faults. So... Well, I don't entirely believe that you've screwed everything up. You couldn't have known that car would be there."

Rachel idly messed with her feather earring, unable to help smiling like a goof. It was so rare for Rose to be this open about things. "Thank you, that means a lot."

"All that is to say... even if you have 'screwed up' somehow, it's okay. Because Chloe's going to care about you because of your flaws as much as anything else." She stood from the couch with her usual poise and started moving toward the back of the house. "Now come on, I need help finishing up making dinner. You're never going to find a wife if you don't learn your way around a kitchen."

Holy crap, was that a joke? Her mom really was having an effect on Rose. Laughing, she hopped up from where she was sitting and followed her into the kitchen. "That is simultaneously the gayest and yet most un-feminist thing I've ever heard you say, Rose. I'm impressed."

* * *

Dinner was relatively uneventful. Chloe hadn't been kidding, she absolutely demolished her plate of tacos in record time. She was especially lively chatting with Sera, having clearly bonded with her while she tended to her make-up. And true to form, you could barely tell she'd been sobbing her eyes out earlier. Her mother was a miracle-worker.

The evening passed way too fast, and before she knew it, Rachel was driving Chloe home. They traveled in pleasant silence for a while when suddenly she cleared her throat softly. "I know this is gonna sound kinda dumb, all things considered, but I had a really good time today."

"Yeah, I have to admit, I... wasn't really expecting that." She laughed nervously and smoothly turned her car down the next street. Maybe if she sunk enough of herself into driving, she could get that nervousness out of the way.

Chloe joined her in the awkward laughing, shrugging nonchalantly. "Well, I mostly felt like... I mean, it was... Ugh, okay so..." She started messing with her hair, huffing a few times. "So I'd kinda been going through some stuff lately. Unrelated to dad. Like uh... feelings? That maybe I'm not what I thought I was? And being at your place and seeing your moms being all domestic and cool just kinda helped, I guess." She was staring hard out the passenger window, and Rachel couldn't really blame her. Chloe was basically trying to come out to her, in her own way.

But she also wasn't trying to make a big deal about it, so Rachel wouldn't either. "I get that. I was like thirteen when mom and Rose told me what was going on between them. Barely a week later I came out to them. It's a lot easier when stuff is normalized in your own home."

"Hah. Jealousy... Probably gonna take me a couple more years before it all sinks in properly."

As seemed to be the pattern with these rides, Chloe's house was coming up far too quickly. "Well... if you ever need someone to bounce thoughts off of, you know which super-gay house to call." Her car rolled to a stop and she carefully put it in park, glancing over at Chloe. "Seriously. This may be the pacific northwest, but it's still small-town America and it can be hard to figure things out when everything around you is so painfully hetero."

She didn't seem to be reaching for her seatbelt buckle or trying to open the door, but she wasn't looking at Rachel either. Chloe was just sitting there in quiet contemplation. Eventually she seemed to reach some kind of decision, even giving a subconscious nod. "Thank you. Like actually. That would be really rad." Like lightning, she freed herself from the seatbelt and opened the door.

The last thing Rachel expected was to feel a pair of lips pressed against her cheek before the door slammed shut, nor the sight of Chloe practically scrambling for her front door. Her cheek felt pleasantly warm, and she sat there in her idling car for way too long smiling to herself.


	4. American Idiot(s)

Rachel had rather assumed that at some point there would be a follow-up to her cheek-kiss with Chloe. But after that, things went into a bit of a lull. That next day at school, she barely even saw Chloe, and never actually got a chance to talk with her. The play would be showing that night, and it was only that much more frustrating to realize that they would be spending hours "together" without a chance to properly hang out. Responsibility could be kind of a bitch.

This lack of explanation left her with a dangerous amount of time to ruminate on the situation she'd ended up in. Perhaps Chloe really was just giving her a tender but otherwise friendly sign of her appreciation. Or maybe she had gone in for the kiss and then regretted it immediately after. There simply was no way of knowing for certain. And she couldn't even go to Dana for more advice because everyone was in hyper-focus mode for the show.

The only upside was that Rachel was able to pour her angst into her role, giving a performance that was arguably better than any of her rehearsals. Not that any of it made her feel better, necessarily, but it was good to have something emotionally investing to sink that energy into. And there was no denying that the sound of a cheering crowd was enough to make a girl feel like she was on top of the world for a while. Still, it couldn't last forever, and once she was backstage and getting changed, she felt like her energy was flagging a little. For a day where very little had happened until the very end, Rachel was wiped.

Steph poked her head into the dressing room with a cheerful smile. "Hey kiddies, don't forget there's a cast party tonight, courtesy of the mighty Prescott clan. If you don't come, we're officially mortal enemies!"

Rachel winced as she pulled on her flannel. She had rather been hoping to just sneak away home, but now it was occurring to her that skipping out on the party might create some friction she hadn't counted on. If she disappeared, people would start asking her what was wrong. She really didn't need the added stress from all that. The least she could do was make a proper appearance and then leave early.

As if to drive home the fact that she needed to do this, she could hear Chloe from somewhere outside the tent utter a resigned sigh. "Yes, Steph, I'm gonna be there. If only so you will leave me alone."

Making her way back out to the audience, Rachel hunted down her mothers. "Hey!"

Sera hugged her tight before making way for Rose to do the same. "You were amazing honey."

"I must admit, I was a bit curious about the change from Prospero to Prospera, but it was absolutely delightful!" Rose gave her a bright smile. "Are you all doing the usual cast party thing?"

Rachel's face must have contorted slightly, because Sera caught on quickly. "Um, not that you have to. We can also just have a nice, boring cast party at the house."

She quickly shook her head, not certain how much to tell them at this point. She didn't need her mothers going all... squealy over her romantic life (or lack thereof). "No, it's okay. I figure I'll probably pop in for a while, make the rounds, and then I'll be home."

Neither one pressed her for any further information, so she waved goodbye and went to grab her things. With any luck she could still have a bit of fun for the evening, even if the most pressing matter in her mind wasn't dealt with.

* * *

Once Rachel actually got to the Prescott bay house, finding something to drink and snack on, she found she wasn't feeling quite so miserable. It helped that there were plenty of people around and a room specifically for dancing. For a time, everything was pretty good. She moved about from person to person, chatting amiably and having a good time. But that was all more or less brought crashing back down to the earth the moment she passed by Chloe lurking against a wall and watching everything. She caught her eye, but didn't get much of a reaction. Frustrated and confused, she pushed her way past the other students to the deck out back. There were a few people outside, but she managed to find a spot away from the crowd where she could stare up at the sky and let her mind go.

For a while, things were pretty quiet, and while Rachel wasn't necessarily able to find peace, she felt less chaotic. And that was the only reason she didn't completely lose her mind when she heard Chloe's voice coming from behind her. "Um. Hey."

She stood up, glancing at her cautiously. "Hey." Rachel knew her reply was maybe a little bit petty or passive aggressive, but considering her entire day had been rather shitty, she wasn't feeling as generous. Not that it ever occurred to her that she was just as guilty for their radio silence.

Chloe finally passed into her peripheral vision, leaning up against the rail next to her. "I'm... really sorry about... basically everything. I-I don't know why I went and... ya know, did that, yesterday. I knew you'd hate me, and that I'd screw everything up."

Her brow almost instantly knitted together in confusion and she stood up a bit. "Chloe, you didn't screw anything up, and I don't hate you. I just don't understand why you didn't talk to me all day."

"Wh-?" Chloe joined her in standing up so that they were now facing one another. "Me? _You_ didn't talk to _me_ all day! That's part of the reason I thought you hated me. I mean, when you do something like that, you're supposed to... take a step back and give the other person room to respond, right? Isn't that like... a thing?"

For a moment, all she could really do was stare at the other girl in disbelief. The entire situation just crashed down on her at once, and the hilarity was too overwhelming to ignore. Before she knew it, she was laughing loudly, leaning up against the railing for support. "Hah, oh my god, we're such fucking idiots..." Once she managed to get her giggles under control, she tried to say something a bit more useful. "Chloe, I was... I mean, I liked it. I like... you." Rachel swallowed the lump in her throat and chanced a look at the other girl. "So anyway if you don't totally regret kissing me on the cheek, I would be totally fine if it were to happen again."

Embarrassing as it was to admit, the look of pure surprise on Chloe's face was kind of marvelous. It took her a full second or two to bounce back. "Um, well. Then. I suppose it's only fair to admit that I... liked it do. And that I... like you. Too. So there's that." She cleared her throat and shifted her weight from foot to foot. "But also ah... this is really new for me. Like I said the other night, I'm only just kind of figuring things out about myself, and as out-of-character as it is for me, I need to be careful with all of this." She rubbed her neck, shifting her posture again. "I hope that's not, like, a major mood-killer."

Admittedly the sentiment was a little less romantic than Rachel was hoping for. But then again, all this started because of a silly little kiss on the cheek, so it was probably going to be ridiculous no matter what. "Hey, I'd say we got plenty of time to figure it out." It suddenly struck Rachel that just because this particular moment was a bit silly, that didn't mean things were completely hopeless. She reached out and took Chloe's hand firmly, dragging her back inside. "Come on, let's dance!"

Chloe balked a little bit but didn't necessarily start fighting her on it or anything. Still, as they got into the room with the music thumping, Rachel was feeling it but Chloe looked pretty awkward. She slowed her own roll and moved in a little closer to her. "Come on, I know you can dance. You were great at the concert the other night."

"What, you mean my awkward flailing? You really enjoyed that?" She scoffed, but her eyes spoke something other than mere attitude.

Rachel's eyes rolled reflexively, and after some internal fighting, she tugged her in a bit closer. "I really did. So c'mon, dance with me!"

Chloe finally seemed to run out of energy to make excuses and resigned herself to dancing with Rachel. Just as she'd said, once she was over her nervousness, she did a perfectly fine job dancing, and any reason to get closer was a welcome one.

In spite of all her nerves, Rachel was insanely happy that she decided to come to the party.

* * *

For once, Rachel wasn't so sad to make that slow stop outside Chloe's house. Because even if they still had a lot more things to talk out, the concept of 'tomorrow' didn't freak her out so much. Because 'tomorrow' meant another step forward.

She was pulled from her thoughts as Chloe cleared her throat and looked at her with a bashful smile. "Hey, so, call me crazy. But I think I wanna go back to the junkyard tomorrow. I... wanna see my dad's car without being caught off-guard. Maybe... say goodbye properly? I mean, I can make my way over there on my own if you don't wanna get into all that. But I just figured I'd ask."

Rachel leaned across the center of the car, putting a light kiss on Chloe's cheek – just as a gentle reassurance that she definitely liked whatever was going on between them. "Easy there, crazy. I'd be happy to give you a ride and... I dunno, be there for you or whatever."

"So what you're saying is you're ride or die?"

Chloe looked so fucking proud of herself for that one. And Rachel couldn't begrudge her a proper laugh for such a dumb joke. "Yes, I suppose if one were being incredibly cheesy, you could say such a thing."

"It's a date, then." And with that, Chloe was gone again. This was obviously becoming the new normal, just when Rachel was certain she had a good grip on how things were going, the other girl would find some way to get a little jab in past her defenses. But she honestly wasn't about to complain.

* * *

Her mothers caught on pretty quick once Rachel got back home. As soon as she entered the living room, Sera grinned at her from ear to ear. "So I'm guessing you figured things out with Chloe?"

Ugh, did she have to look so insufferably smug every time she was right? "How-?"

"Please, sweetie. When you met us after the play, you looked miserable. You come back from the party, you clearly haven't been smoking weed and you're not drunk. But you're beaming. Sure, it was a logical leap on my part, but I was feeling confident." Did her grin just get bigger? Jesus...

Rose chuckled and nudged her. " Hey now, don't dig in too hard. Teenagers have to have some secrets from their parents, right?"

Even Rose's gentle protection felt oddly embarrassing. "Ugh, I'm going to my room, good night!" As promised, Rachel rushed upstairs to get away from her stupid, adorable mothers and their stupid adorable pestering. With the door closed she threw herself face-down on her bed. 'It's a date.' Those words repeated over and over in her head. Muffling herself with her pillow, she squealed with joy, kicking her legs like a weirdo.


	5. Extraordinary Girl

Rachel stepped into the 'clubhouse' with a soft sigh, setting down the duffel bag of random crap she'd brought with her, and took a seat on the ratty car seat she had dragged in with Chloe. For now, there wasn't much to do but wait. She'd already picked the other girl up and gave her some time to do... whatever it was she felt she needed to do at her father's car.

Still, just sitting around doing nothing wasn't exactly the most thrilling activity. So Rachel opted to fill the time with decorating. She opened the duffel and began pulling out everything she'd brought along. All very colorful of course. She started with the bright yellow wall hanging, and with some difficulty was able to tie it off to some nails already sticking out of the cinder blocks. She wasn't sure how long the posters she'd brought would stay in place using just sticky tack, but she figured it was worth a shot.

At some point, she had started to zone out a bit as she got into the groove of making the shitty little shack into a home. So she was foolishly shocked when Chloe finally walked in the door and cleared her throat softly, followed softly by a sniffle. "Hah, sorry, I know I can be kind of a ninja sometimes. Looks like you've already got a head start in here."

Laughing awkwardly, she climbed down off the spool she'd been using to get some height to hang stuff. "God, no, it's totally cool, I was just in my own little world." She stepped in closer, her body itching to go in for a hug before her mind told her to pull back. "How did it uh... Well, I mean was it... Are you... Jesus, I have no idea how to even say this."

"Eh, maybe just go ahead and say it then. That's _my_ usual MO." She gave her best charming smile, though it was obvious she wasn't at one hundred percent yet.

"How do you... feel?" That wasn't much better than any of her other attempts, but she had to at least try and offer something.

Chloe shrugged, casually flopping down onto a seat. "Honestly? Not awful. I mean, it hurts, I'm sure you get that. But being real about it helped. I told him about Joyce and the sergeant, and school, and this pretty cool girl I met recently. Y'know, the kinda stuff we woulda talked about any other day. It's like... okay, he died, and nobody knows what that means, not really. So the only thing I can do is deal with it in a way that keeps me happy and healthy? Or whatever? So... what the fuck, why not face it head on."

This time, Rachel didn't bother to hold herself back, leaning down and wrapping her arms around Chloe in a tight hug, cooing softly as she nuzzled her cheek. "If anyone ever says you're immature, I will personally punch them in the face. You're doing pretty damn good." As she said so, she could feel a bit of warmth radiating off the other girl, and pulled back before the mood shifted so hard they got emotional whiplash, moving to sit across from her with a satisfied smile. "I'm glad you're figuring things out. It sucks, but it's doable."

She watched with no small amount of intrigue as Chloe stretched out and made herself at home. That seemed to be something she was very good at, even when she didn't actually feel it. She took up space in a very particular way. "Couldn't have said it better myself. It sucks, but it's doable. That's life..."

Things settled into a delightful lull after that. For a while, things were just... normal. They chatted more about school and life. Chloe bitched a little about David. Rachel talked about what kind of plays Mr. Keaton was thinking of doing next year. It was good.

Even if Rachel couldn't help thinking that she still wanted more.

* * *

Retreating to the junkyard became something of a routine for the two of them. Sometimes, Chloe seemed so eager to get away from the world that she would get herself to American Rust on her own before Rachel could even arrive. She got used to this eventually, sometimes showing up to her friend with a boombox blasting music and dancing, or just hanging out and getting high.

But she was fairly certain that nothing could possibly prepare her for this day. She pulled up in her car and stepped out into the bright sunlight of oncoming summer, shades protecting her eyes, a light wind dancing through her hair. "Hey, junkyard queen, where you at?" This had become a common phrase for her, a kind of 'marco' to Chloe's 'polo'.

"Good timing, I need a hand over here!"

She followed the sound of Chloe's voice and the telltale music coming through worn-out speakers, only to stop dead in her tracks as she rounded a corner. There she stood in her usual ratty clothing – jeans, boots, tank top. Turning to look at her, she revealed a blue streak she must have added to her hair in the last twenty four hours. Not only that, but she was coated in a fine layer of oil, dirt, and dust. She reached up to casually wipe her forehead with the back of her wrist, easy smile plastered in its familiar spot. "Come on, despite the fact that it's bright as shit out, it turns out I actually need someone to hold a flashlight for me."

Rachel knew in that moment, finally, that she was deeply and hopelessly in love with this girl. But there wasn't much time to think about that because she had a job to do, not to mention a bunch of questions to ask. She made her way over, taking the flashlight that Chloe had motioned to, and shining it inside the open hood of the truck she had apparently been working on. "So... this is... um, what?"

"Uh, it's a truck, dude. I keep passing by this junkheap and thinking it's in need of a bit of TLC. I can't keep bumming rides off of you forever. Plus... I know it's dumb, but I think if I show a little bit of mechanical skill, it might convince David to give me slightly less shit." She grabbed up a wrench and leaned inside the hood of the truck, going to work like it was the most natural thing for her. For perhaps the first time ever, Rachel took notice of her arm muscles, nearly dropping the flashlight in her distraction.

"Hm, it's um... good to have a hobby. And there's something about this tank that suits you." She cleared her throat self-consciously and adjusted the light so she could see what was going on. "Still, TLC seems like the bare minimum here. I mean, she's gonna need paint and a new mirror here and... Are you up for it?"

Chloe just scoffed and made a few more adjustments before standing back with a satisfied sigh, rubbing at her forehead again – which only succeeded in smearing the grease more across her skin. "I got no clue. But I figure it can't hurt. If I don't get it to run, nothing was really lost, and I still learned something. That's kinda cool. In a dorky kind of way." That seemed to be the end of the matter. She reached for a nearby rag and started wiping away some of the grime, much to Rachel's dismay.

Desperate to make some small fraction of her feelings known before the moment was over, she clicked off the flashlight and stood back with an appreciative look. "I must say, I like the new look. Dyed hair, oil stains... Get a couple tats and you'll have a style to match the attitude." This suddenly reminded Rachel of the original reason she'd been weirdly excited to meet up today. From her purse, she retrieved a beanie she'd found that just screamed 'Chloe' and playfully plopped it on her head before adjusting it slightly. "Even better."

She could see the blush on Chloe's cheeks trying to emerge from beneath the oil and dirt and felt a little spark of pride. However, her nerves were quickly shot again as Chloe's face fell slightly. She didn't say anything right away, but Rachel forced down her desire to fill the empty space with awkward conversation. Chloe needed room to say whatever was on her mind. "I know... we never really... talked about it again after the cast party. Which I'm grateful for! But I guess I've just been thinking about it more. And... maybe... I wanna talk. More."

As carefully as she could, Rachel shut off the boombox and then took Chloe's hand, walking with her back to their private shed, just to further reinforce the fact that they were alone here. "So. What's on your mind?" She knew her question came out a bit more hopeful than she really meant, but there was no taking it back. With any luck, her tone wouldn't be entirely out of place.

"So... we both agree that... Ugh, okay so being... close? It's nice. And we like... each other. In some shape or form. And... And I remember that night I finally got a chance to see you on the stage and you were so good and your costume was so cool and... Jesus, that's beside the point, Chloe, get it together. What I'm saying is that... if we didn't live in such a shithole town, I'd ask you... out. On like a date. But there's basically nothing to do around here. So instead would you be down for doing the same stuff that we already do? But occasionally we like... also... make out or whatever?" As soon as the words left her mouth, her face grew even more red and she let loose a dramatic groan. "That was awful. Let me start over."

Rachel figured that was probably more than enough embarrassing prattling on Chloe's part, and if she decided to start over this could take the better part of an hour. So she decided to cut her off with a kiss on the lips. She expected some hesitation, so it came as a shock when Chloe immediately leaned back into her with a moan.

It was not entirely different from the way a single spark could turn into a wildfire under the right conditions. They just kept feeding one another, and before she knew it, Rachel was horizontal along the ratty car seat, not even caring that it was the most uncomfortable thing in the world. All she could think about was the fact that Chloe was on top of her, kissing her, idly touching her hips and brushing her arm. It could have been a bed of nails and she would have kept right on going.

The only reason they stopped was because human beings do need to eventually breathe, and neither of them was really experienced enough to figure out that they could also inhale through their noses. So they ended up staring at one another, panting, flushed, warm. "Holy shit, I've been wanting to do that since 'Hey, dickhead!' and I didn't even realize it."

Rachel laughed, low and breathy, reaching up to fiddle with Chloe's beanie, adjusting it playfully. "Same..." Okay, admittedly that was a tiny lie, but she wasn't sure she was ready to tell this girl the entire story of how she had basically stalked her and inserted herself into her life. All in good time.


	6. Welcome to Paradise

Rachel drew in a long, deep breath. Her anxiety was only calmed when she felt Chloe's strong hand squeeze her own, reminding her that she wasn't alone. "Hey. It's all good. I told you, it's just us and my mom. David's over at some buddy's house playing cards. And mom's not... y'know, she's not like a... a judgy kinda person. What am I trying to say here?"

It was so damn endearing, the way she leapt head-first in to make Rachel feel better only to falter because of a little vocabulary. "You're trying to say she's not bigoted. And that's good. But I'm pretty sure it's basically a requirement that you have to be nervous when meeting the folks, ya know?"

Chloe just shrugged, easy as always. "Hey, just remember I was a sobbing mess when I met your moms, so like... whatever. It literally can't be worse than that."

She turned her car down the now-familiar street, grateful that she finally had an excuse to feel excited about slowing to a stop outside the same house. "Does that time really count? I mean, we weren't dating at the time. And you had a legitimate reason for being a mess. Besides, they loved you! They... might have been my personal cheerleading section. Gave me a lot of good advice too." She could feel her cheeks heating up as she admitted more and more about what a mess she was before finally hooking up with Chloe.

Go figure, Chloe didn't seem to mind the revelation in the slightest. In spite of everything, she took life pretty easy most of the time. "This is probably kind of a dumb thing to compare, huh? The important thing is that... we're gonna go in there. And have dinner with Joyce. And I'm gonna tell her, mom, this is my... my girlfriend..." As soon as the word left her mouth, both of them erupted in gigantic stupid grins. "And she'll just say something like, well bless my soul Chloe I couldn't be happier for you." Her approximation of a southern accent may have been lacking, but it was infinitely charming.

"Well, then I guess we better get to it. Come on~" Rachel shut off her car and climbed out, almost instantly linking hands with her once they were headed for the door.

Chloe opened it and ushered her inside, and they were immediately met with the smell of a delicious home-cooked meal. A woman that managed to look both worn out and sunny at the same time popped her head out of the kitchen area with a bright smile. "There she is!" She strutted out into the hall with a level of confidence Rachel could only hope to find someday. "And this must be Rachel. I hear I have you to thank for getting Chloe to actually participate in a damn school activity for once. I'm sorry I wasn't able to make it out and see the show."

Rachel shook her head, self-consciously releasing her hold on Chloe's hand so she could extend it to the older woman. "Perish the thought, Mrs. Price. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and con her into helping with a show next year. Hmmmm, maybe I can even get her on-stage!"

Her laugh was beautiful and rich. "First, it's Joyce, honey. Second, if you can pull that off, I will get a front-row seat."

Chloe pouted, crossing her arms and staring down at her feet. "I'm right here, guys, no need to be so rude." She shuffled her feet a few times, adjusting her posture over and over. Rachel could tell she was winding herself up. "Um, a-anyway, mom... The reason I wanted to have Rachel over for dinner... and for you guys to meet... See, um, we actually kinda... So. We. Started dating recently. So that's... a thing now. That... I mean, I hope that's okay?"

Without warning, Joyce pulled the both of them into a tight hug, squeezing the breath right out of Rachel's lungs. "Well bless my soul! Chloe, I couldn't be happier for you! Of course it's okay, you silly girl." She gave them one more squeeze for good measure before pulling back with a beaming smile. "Now, get your butts in this kitchen and help me finish dinner. Nobody eats around here without putting in the work."

* * *

Dinner was, naturally, amazing. Pork chops, green beans, homemade apple sauce. Rachel was in heaven, with a fully belly and a pleasant sense of contentment.

However, that dissipated somewhat as Chloe rose from the table, patting her stomach with a big sigh. "I'm afraid I need to go use the little girls' room. Don't gossip about me too much while I'm gone!" With that, she left, and Rachel was left alone with the girl's mother.

 _Here it comes. The shovel talk. Just because her father's not around doesn't mean I'm not going to get threatened. 'Don't break my little girl's heart. If you make her cry, I will come after you, and you will know no rest until I have my vengeance.' I could believe it too. Joyce seems like the kind of woman who takes zero shit..._ She swallowed and braced herself while waiting for whatever came next, idly fiddling with her glass of water.

"You know, I knew somethin' was up, the night she came back from that concert I definitely didn't know anything about. Sometimes it helps to let Chloe think she's slick." She chuckled softly, and Rachel gave her plenty of room to take this monologue wherever it was headed. "She looked so happy, like I ain't seen her in a while. Wasn't expecting a girl, but that's life. Anyway, Rachel, I just wanted to ask you... _not_ to go easy on her."

The request was unexpected, and it took her a moment to process what Joyce had even said. "Um, come again?"

"Her grades've been slipping, she doesn't exactly get up to much. I can tell what sorta path she's headed down. But you convinced her to participate in an extracurricular activity with nothin' but a smile. I'm not asking you to fix her, of course. Just... keep her moving. She's got so much promise, and keeping her from wasting it just isn't a one-person job." She gave a heavy sigh that betrayed just how tired she really was.

Rachel smiled gently at her. "I'm not sure she actually needs much beyond the initial push, Joyce. I found her fixing up an old junker the other day. She hates admitting it, but she's hoping that it will impress David. But you didn't hear that from me." She winked conspiratorially.

Joyce shook her head. "Don't minimize the good you've done. I may not understand my daughter perfectly, but even I can see when there's something different about her." With that, she got up from the table as well, gathering up various dishes in her arms. "Go on, I'll clean up. You two enjoy the fact that you're teenagers in love." Now it was Joyce's turn to offer a conspiratorial wink.

With a face as red as can be, Rachel hurried to find Chloe so she could get far, far away from this entire awkward conversation and forget about it for a while.

* * *

Chloe's room was pretty much exactly what Rachel had been expecting. The choice of posters, the assorted graffiti, the ancient-looking computer. Admittedly the messy bed was what occupied most of her attention since Chloe was currently stretched out on it, head resting on her laced hands. "C'mon, seriously, what'd you guys talk about?"

Carefully, she perched herself on the edge of the bed next to her with a little knowing smile. "She wanted to know more about what I'm doing with my life. You know, making sure her future daughter in law isn't just some degenerate starving artist. I informed her in no uncertain terms that I am going to be a very wonderful and attentive starving artist, thank-you-very-much."

The blush on Chloe's face was perfect. "Wh... future daughter in law?"

"I'm just fucking with you girl, damn." Rachel slipped further up the bed so that she was sitting next to her reclining girlfriend. "You better get used to it. I want to make everyone sick and tired of how cute we are. I want to be voted best couple at prom." With careful movements she flipped over, kneeling on top of Chloe, looking down into her eyes, gently cupping her burning cheek. "I know we're not really there yet. But I figure it's important to give you fair warning. When the time is right, I'm going to be the most obnoxious girlfriend ever."

Finally she allowed herself to settle down lower until she was laying on top of her. With all the patience in the world, she took her time leaning in until their lips finally met. It was arguably even better than their first. Both of them were learning more, figuring everything out. Rachel knew to go slower, not instantly open her lips and try to slide her tongue right into Chloe's mouth. So she kept a gentle hold on her hips, sucking and nibbling at her lower lip, moaning ever so slightly.

But nothing could prepare her for Chloe turning the tables, flipping over to put herself on top. She pulled back teasingly from the kiss, just an inch or so. "You know, with anyone else that would sound awful, unbearable. But... I want it. I want it all. I wanna bring you flowers after a show. I wanna tag every goddamn wall with our names." She went in for another kiss, only she wasn't nearly as slow or gentle. She felt hungry. Rachel didn't mind one bit.

When she felt Chloe going for the button on her jeans, it sunk in that maybe she wasn't just talking a big game. She looked her in the eye, her face softening. Rachel just smiled and gave a quick nod. She couldn't think of a single damn reason for this not to happen. "...go on. I want you. Please."

* * *

A lazy stream of sunlight washed over Rachel's face. She grimaced and turned away from it, burying her face somewhere darker. It took a moment to realize that she'd ended up nestled in Chloe's chest. Memories from the night before filtered back to her slowly and she broke out in a ridiculous smile. Idly her hand began to trace slow circles and symbols on her girlfriend's stomach.

Of course, she had certainly hoped when all this started that she might end up here. But she was also painfully aware of the fact that it could have gone very different. This was a blessing, a wonderful marvel, and she intended to enjoy it to the fullest.

More than all that, though, was the realization that it was still only the beginning. They still had plenty of time left at Blackwell. And then there was college, and life after that. They had all the time in the world.

 **[A/N: I'm gonna call this one here for now. The girls will keep on trucking in other stories, and at some point I'm going to re-write the story where Max shows up and things get more complicated. In the meantime, thank you for all the wonderful comments and kudos! You guys are the best.]**


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